Somaliland Assistance Bulletin January—March 2007

I. HUMANITARIAN SITUATION which were received in western parts of the country Finalized on January 2007, FAO/FSAU led Post- (Awdal and Hargeisa regions), have improved Deyr assessment indicated above normal rains in pasture and water resources. If such good to normal most parts of Somaliland leading to improved rains are received in this Gu season, the rural livelihoods through increased availability of water livelihoods particularly pastoral communities are and pasture. Improved body conditions combined expected to have better post-drought recovery with Haji (pilgrimage) season improved livestock including building up of assets and improved prices enhancing the purchasing power. However, resilience to shocks. due to reported rift valley, meat and livestock export According to Somalia Food Security Emergency has been stopped right after the Haj by Arab Release of FEWSNET released on 23rd March 2007, countries. Unknown camel disease has significantly the recent climate outlook for the Greater Horn of reduced herd sizes of many families throughout the Africa including Somalia predict the likelihood of country with no indication of containing it. The near normal Gu rains (April to June 2007) which is disease was a cross-border disease, as the same expected to sustain further livelihood recovery. disease was reported in Ethiopian Somali region FSAU Post-Deyr forecast better livestock build up as before it was patterned in Somaliland. there is high kidding rate expected for sheep/goats in April and May 2007 due to high conception in According to FSAU, crop assessment in Somaliland October-December 2006 while medium to low indicated higher crop harvest; about 147% of the calving is expected for the camels due to low Post War Average (PWA: 1998-2006) and the conception during October-December 2006. highest after 2003 and 2005 with sorghum being the The FEWSNET release, however, estimated possible dominant cereal crop (88%). Maize the second cereal floods in the riverine areas of the Southern Somalia. crop cultivated. FSAU Post Deyr nutrition survey also indicated alert There are reports of widespread locust in some parts malnutrition rates for under 5 children with Severe of Awdal Region in March 2007 due to recent rains. Acute Malnutrition of 0.7% in Nugal valley to 1.9% Larva infestation of the locust was widely reported in in Hawd livelihood zone. The Global malnutrition the coastal areas and now the flying stage of the ranges from 8.1% in Hawd livelihood zone (South of locust has reached Borama town crossing the Hargeisa) to 9% in Sool Plateau. All malnutrition Ethiopian border. Due to lack of local capacity and figures showed improvement compared to the 2002 preparedness to deal with locust outbreaks, there is a figures. Although from alert to serious nutrition need to develop networks with the regional locust conditions are reported, the condition is far better bodies/companies that can assist Somaliland during than the nutritional situation in the South and Central the time of infestation. Somalia. In most cases, considerable correlation of malnutrition with ART and diarrhea diseases was As chronic food insecurity is pre-dominant problem reported. in most rural livelihoods, assistance targeting at improving resilience to shocks and supporting the Water born Diarrhea outbreaks was widely reported productive assets and infrastructure can contribute to in many parts of the country (see the health section further livelihood recovery of the communities. for details) after the Deyr rains. Root causes of water Building the local capacities in preparedness and born diseases are believed to be related with poor responsiveness to disasters like droughts and floods quality of the drinking water which is mainly open can assist in coping with natural shocks which are water sources. becoming more frequent in the recent years.

The good Deyr season (November-December 2006) II. HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE allowed rural communities (both pastoral and agro- pastoral) smooth transition to the next rainy (Gu) There is a strong presence of humanitarian actors in season (April-June 2007) without drought symptoms Somaliland. This allows relatively good coverage of in the long dry (Jilaal) season (December 06-March assistance to those in need except some areas 07). contested between Somaliland and Puntland in Sool and Sanaag regions. In March 2007, Gu rains started earlier than expected in Somaliland but shortly lived. These rains, most of

This quarterly bulletin is compiled by UNOCHA Hargeisa in collaboration with humanitarian actors operating in Somaliland. For further information, inputs or comments please contact Abdulkarim H. Ali at [email protected], or [email protected]. All references to Somaliland pertain to the self-declared but unrecognized Republic of 1 Somaliland.

Somaliland Assistance Bulletin January—March 2007

Emergency Response to flood affected Somalia, the above number may not be in the context communities. since there is a new influx of displaced people coming to Hargeisa and other towns of Somaliland. Flood response was coordinated to affected communities in early January 2007 as late December Emergency support to IDPs from South and rains caused floods that damaged and disrupted the Central Somalia water system for Zeila and Tokoshi, two coastal Based on the assessment report presented jointly towns which are about 7 Kms apart from each other. by UNHCR, MRRR and group of LNGOs The road between Zeila and Tokhoshi, Asha Ado to (CCBRS, VOSOMWO, GASHAN & SOYDA) Zeila were badly damaged due to the heavy on 26th February to IDP Working Group, 160 downpours. Ministry of National Planning and newly displaced households of whom 58% are Coordination with the support of OCHA organized children while more 50% are females, arrived two missions to the area. The first mission including Hargeisa from December 2006 to February Minister of planning, minister of water, Minister of 2007 following renewed fighting in the South Interior, WFP, DRC, UNICEF went to Zeila in the and Central Somalia. The survey was concerned late December in order provide emergency assistance with only poor households from South and to the affected households and to assess the general Central Somalia and not hundreds who flee situation. About 625 households in Zeila and through commercial airlines as these were better Tokoshi received emergency assistance including off households. Originating from Mogadishu, food, water, and non-food items from Government, Hiiraan, Merca, Baidao and other areas in SC WFP, UNICEF and DRC. Somalia, most of these displaced people are found in Dami, Statehouse, Stadium, Sheikh The other mission consisting of technical experts in Nur and Mohamed Moge settlements. Other water and roads from UNICEF, UNDP, UNDP went reports indicate more new arrivals even after in January in order to come up with technical report this report not only in Hargeisa but in other on the damage on water and road infrastructure with major towns (e.g. Burao and Berbera). Reason recommendations on how best to rehabilitate the for migration was combination of factors damaged infrastructure. UNICEF will address the including general conflict, inter clan conflict damages on the water system while UNHCR is and floods. Reportedly these people are in planning to support the road infrastructure in the area desperate conditions with no means of access to since these roads are used for the repatriation of the income and lack of clan support and protection refugees from Djibouti. UNHCR announced the which resulted in ending up in begging and allocation of about $ 100,000 for road rehabilitations child labor activities. As recommended in the in the area. Lack of local implementing partners is reports, these people needed emergency reportedly contributing to delays of the assistance such as food, shelter, utensils and rehabilitation. other types of humanitarian assistance like protection, sanitation, and water. 16 households Furthermore, efforts to rehabilitate infrastructure who were recently displaced by intra/inter (schools, MCHs, Hospitals, etc.) destroyed by floods fighting within Somaliland or on Ethio-Somali have been ongoing in Burao town. Rehabilitation of border were also identified during the the infrastructure particularly the flood protection assessment. Including these 16 households, 176 dykes is an important remedial and protective households were reported to be in dire of support as Gu rains are approaching and can inflict assistance. similar damages. After several consultations between Humanitarian Agencies and Somaliland Coordination on IDPs Authorities, finally the 176 households received th the intended assistance on 25 March 2007 Although controversial due to lack of IDP profiling successfully. There was a government concern in Somaliland, about 40,000 displaced persons are that host communities may be hostile against found in within poor living conditions—often in these displaced if only the displaced are urban areas with inadequate water and sanitation and targeted, however; after community lacking income opportunities and access to basic mobilization, host communities was hospitable social service. Due to unrest in the South and Central to the process. WFP, UNICEF, and UNHCR

Somaliland Assistance Bulletin January—March 2007

provided food, family kits (utensils, blankets, Established in October 2006, and co-chaired by plastic sheets, etc.) and emergency shelter OCHA and MRRR1, Taskforce for Joint (plastic sheets) respectively. The delivery of the Programming for Displaced Communities in assistance was supported by MRRR, Hargeisa meets on weekly basis. The taskforce Somaliland Police and 5 national NGOs that consists of 4 clusters; namely, basic services, were operational in the 5 distribution sites. protection, livelihoods and land & infrastructure with UNICEF, UNHCR, UNDP/RRIDP and UNHABITAT as the lead agencies respectively. Each cluster forms a sub-group consisting of key UN and Government actors in the respective thematic sectors. The taskforce for joint programming was basically intended to response to the need of improving current conditions of the IDP settlements and of getting durable solutions particularly for the selected settlements (Statehouse, Stadium and Dami as some of them are temporary settlement like Statehouse and Stadium and government is planning to relocate to more permanent settlements in the near future) in order to jointly address and propose Beneficiary (left) being verified by the durable solutions for the displaced communities in distribution monitors of UNHCR (middle) Hargeisa as a pilot programme. Specifically the and MRRR (right) intends to achieve following strategic objectives: -

Strategic Objective 1: Improved living conditions in the three selected settlements in Hargeisa (Statehouse Stadium and Dami with Statehouse being the priority for relocation). Strategic Objective 2: Large-scale resettlement and reintegration of displaced in Hargeisa. Strategic Objective 2a: Develop Mechanisms to promote spontaneous resettlement of individual households within Hargeisa enhancing self-help decision making of the households Strategic Objective 2b: Guided Resettlement to areas outside Hargeisa Different clusters developed budgeted proposals for

Beneficiaries receive assistance package after the three selected settlements in line with the above verification. strategic objectives with capacity building for local authorities as cross-cutting theme across the above (Photo: Abdilahi of Vosomwo Local NGO in strategic objectives. However, to determine Dami). proportion of the target communities who will Nevertheless, apart from addressing immediate choose organised resettlement, return to areas of humanitarian needs, finding durable solutions origin or integrate within Hargeisa town based on for such people will remain a challenge to the their individual household choices, a survey will be government and humanitarian actors in the conducted in early April to enhance planning. The country. Now IDP working group should assess expected outcome of this joint programming exercise the IDP needs in the other towns (Burao, is to have joint strategy document for IDPs which Berbera, etc) as more displaced people from will be shared with the wider stakeholders and South and Central Somalia are coming to those finally be used for fund raising to implement to areas. These people will need humanitarian proposed interventions/activities. assistance as well.

The Joint Programming for Displaced 1 MRRR stands for Ministry of Rehabilitation, Communities. Reintegration and Reconstruction.

Somaliland Assistance Bulletin January—March 2007

However, since the process is ongoing, different There is a growing concern on increased SGBV (The cluster groups continue their inputs to finalize the Sexual and Gender-Based Violence) in Somaliland pending issues in order to assist compilation of joint particularly against women and girls in the strategy paper. settlements for displaced communities as recent reports indicated. According to last protection cluster Due to the fact that Hargeisa water supply system is report released in January 2007, which was based on already overstretched, the major constraints include systematic data collection by the members of the lack of water availability in the new sites selected for protection monitoring NGOs, rape is a common the resettlement of IDPs who are now living in phenomena against women and girls and perpetrators temporary sites like Statehouse and Stadium. Since are rewarded to marry to victims rather than land grabbing is a big problem and most land is punishing them as the rape issues are solved through claimed by private owners, finding land for IDPs is soft traditional systems. The report indicates the another head ache for the municipality. The traditional justice system encourages the combination of the above constraints results in lack continuation of the rape since perpetrators are either of proper resettlement sites and delays in the joint released with little compensations to the family of programming process. the victim or are released after a short term arrest. Both the traditional and state justice systems are soft Protection/Rule of Law but on the expense of the rape victims. Sharia rule is Due to the peace and stability in Somaliland, there believed to be tougher on perpetrators compared to are good number of agencies and/or organizations traditional and other secular laws in the country. that are operational in the humanitarian and development assistance for the local communities. To address such problem, UNHCR provides Out of these agencies/organizations, UNHCHR, technical and financial support to Hargeisa Legal UNDP ROLs, UNICEF, ACTIONAID, DRC, and Clinic in partnership with UNDP Rule of Law CARE are involved in the field of protection in (ROLs) to provide legal representation to the victims collaboration with the relevant line ministries such of SGBV and other types of human rights abuse Ministry of Justice, MRRR and Ministry of Family through the outreach service focusing on IDP and Social Development and number of local non- settlements (Dami, Statehouse, and Stadium) in order governmental actors (NGOs, CBOs, etc.). These to alleviate protection-related suffering for most actors are coordinated under the Protection Working vulnerable groups. Implemented by Comprehensive Group (PWG) with UNHCR as the lead agency. Community-Based Rehabilitation Services (CCBRS), the other components of the project Established in February 2006, the major areas of include development of community-based SGBV interventions of the PWG group include capacity prevention and response mechanisms and building for local actors (both government—e.g. psychosocial support networks and medical referrals training police and judiciary personnel and non- for the victims. government actors like NGOs and CBOs) in SGBV The Population Movement Tracking network response, gender equality, HR principles, juvenile monitors overall trends in population movement justice and protection of IDPs and refugees and particularly the crisis-induced movements in order to policy development (e.g. gender policy focusing on document and report on the situation and the needs FGC, juvenile justice bill, IDP policy, improving of the displaced. customary law responses to rape and sexual assault UNICEF is advocating for the ratification of the underway), and assistance to IDPs (legal assistance, child rights conventions by the Somaliland profiling, and population movement tracking, etc). parliament. After approved by the parliament, it is This major group consists of specialized sub-groups expected to have positive impact on child rights such Protection Monitoring Network and Population provided that its implementation is reinforced within Tracking Movement in order to identify, document the national judiciary system. and report on the major protection issues and UNHCR in collaboration with the MRRR and group recommend appropriate solutions for future of national NGOs started IDPs profiling exercise in programming and to monitor crisis induced Burao of which a preliminary assessment was done movements and displacements. in early March 2007. This Profiling survey is expected to capture major information needed for the future programming of the IDPs in Burao town. A

Somaliland Assistance Bulletin January—March 2007

training for the participating actors will be held Due to low educational literacy rate in before the profiling exercise should start in order for Somaliland/Somalia (about 17.1% for Somalia; them to be familiarized with formats and 22.1% for males and 12% for females), the needed interviewing techniques in Burao most probably in efforts towards improved access to all school age the beginning of April 2007. children are beyond the current capacities and resources. With the arrival of new UNHCR Protection Officer, Ms. Nyanjagi Ally, replacing the former PO Ms. Water & Sanitation Response Vicky Tennant, the meetings of Protection Working Water and Sanitation activities range from improving Group was re-started in March 2007 after some access to water for IDPs/returnees and the host break of meetings for few months. Protection WG communities through construction of water points meetings are usually chaired by UNHCR with (Berkads, shallow wells, water kiosks, etc.), improve secretariat support of OCHA. sanitation of IDP settlements through provision of household latrines and public latrines ( such as UBAX Social Development (Local NGO) is carrying school latrines), provision of garbage out literacy and skills training for 250 women and collection/transport facilities, construction of girls in Dami B, 70% of these are from the minority drainage systems, and capacity building (such as clans of whom many are FGC practitioners. These sanitation training to local communities and IDPs, women are expected to benefit from awareness rising training Water Ministry personnel on water systems on FGC, HIV/AIDS, literacy programme and skills management) including the introduction of public training (e.g. cooking, etc.). According to the chair private partnership in collaboration with local person of this NGO, WFP is expected to support this authorities and business people. The organizations programme. that are involved in this sector include UNICEF, UNHCR, UNHABITAT, ACTIONAID, DRC, and Education Response UNDP in collaboration with the Ministry of Water Considerable inputs have been exerted into education and Mineral Resources and group of local NGOs sector as many actors (UN, NGOs, and government) specialized in this sector. reflect interventions that address education problems Assistance for IDP settlements include provision of as their priorities. Current education interventions piped water through construction of water kiosks and 2 range from supporting primary education such as provision of sanitation facilities PT for Statehouse, construction of school space, teachers training, Stadium, Ayah and Aden Suleiman settlements by provision of education/training materials, school UNDP, UNICEF with local partners. For instance, feeding, and development of educational policies and UNICEF provided 100 slabs to 100 hhs in curricula and to supporting initiatives regarding Statehouse and is planning to provide more as the higher education (high schools, universities, local committee have requested about 700 slabs. The vocational/technical schools, etc).. UNICEF, same agency provided 48 households with slabs in UNESCO-PEER, WFP, UNHCR, UNDP, NRC, Dami and is planning to provide 60 hhs with slabs SCD, SC-UK, Action AID, CARE, Candlelight, and according UBAX Social Development, the HAVOYOCO are among the agencies/organizations implementing partner of UNICEF in Dami B. which are involved in the education sector in collaboration with the Ministry of Education which Although there are sanitation activities such as the coordinates educational activities of the country. provision of household latrines and community awareness in some of the IDP settlements, there are Specifically, emergency alternative education and still many IDP households that need such services. School Feeding Programme to disadvantaged groups For instance, 15 May is an IDP settlement in Burao like IDPs and minority groups is one of the town with IDP population from South and Central important initiatives which have been appreciated by Somalia which did not receive such sanitation the communities. WFP and NRC implement such assistance while more IDP households in other initiatives in the poorest quarters and IDP settlements need such assistance. settlements such as Dami, Sheik Nur, Mohamed Moge (Hargeisa) and Kosar and Yirowe (Burao),

Sheik Osman (Borama). 2 TP PT (e.g. distribution of slabs and assisting most vulnerable households in construction of latrines)

Somaliland Assistance Bulletin January—March 2007

Health and Nutrition Response Nutrition Cluster (FSAU, UNICEF, ICRC, etc) is WHO and UNICEF are the main actors that support planning to carry out nutrition assessments in the Somaliland authorities, particularly the Ministry of IDP settlements in the major towns (Burao, Berbera Health in health response and delivery of health and Hargeisa) services. Core activities include improve health service delivery, establish system of quality drug Significant efforts are still needed to improve supplies and equipment, improving quality equitable access to health services for general public laboratory services, strengthening primary health and the most vulnerable groups in particular. care through capacity building and WHO BDN strategy. UNAIDS, UNHCR, WFP ad UNDP are Shelter Response for IDPs among other actors in this sector. Current health- As per the recommendation of IDP WG, related interventions of these agencies includes UNHCR provided plastic sheets on 27/03/07 for establishment of improved HIV/AIDs surveillance, 3 families whose shelter was burnt down in increase of health personnel, institutional feeding in Statehouse settlement. Two more IDP female- order to improve the nutritional status of the most headed households lost their shelter due to fire vulnerable groups (e.g. inpatients in TB and on 30th March 2007 in the same settlement. HIV/AIDs wards, children in orphanage centers, Similar assistance is needed for these two etc.) and support health infrastructure such as MCHs. households. Apart from wide coverage of polio campaigns for 5U UNHABITAT together with other partners like children, after reported cases of polio in Togdheer HAVAYOCO and WFP assists IDPs in Statehouse and Sool late last year, the health cluster responded in the construction of permanent shelter (low cost to diarrhea outbreaks in wide areas including housing) while UNHCR provides emergency shelter Togdheer and Awdal regions mostly after the Deyr for IDPs in temporary settlements like Statehouse. rains. Diarrhea outbreak was widely reported in December and in early January in about 30 villages of Togdheer region while Tokoshi, Zeila and Lawyo- ado of Awdal region were among the affected areas. Excessive diarrhea was reported in Burao as well in March 2007, a time when diarrhea outbreaks were epidemic in South and Central Somalia. Due to availability of medical stocks and prevailing accessibility, the response to and control of diarrhea was timely and effective with few deaths reported (the highest death tall was 21 cases for u5 children in December 2006). Repeated polio eradication campaigns were carried out in the country (e.g. National Immunization Day started on 18th February and ended on 25th February 2007) after reports of polio cases in Sool and Japanese-Funded Law Cost Housing Project Togdheer regions (about 112,000 children aged less implemented by UNHABITAT in collaboration with than five years were immunized in Togdheer and WFP and local partners in Ayah II (Hargeisa). Sool regions of Somaliland during campaigns carried

out in January). WHO is planning to Save UNHABITAT is completing 172 low cost houses in Motherhood Initiative jointly with UNFPA and Ayaha IDP settlement in early April. This figure UNICEF. represents 51% of the target. Hence, UNHABIT is Due to reported high malnutrition rates in Burao and planning to rise funds to complete the target of the Berbera IDPs, supplementary feeding of under- project which is to construct 340 house units. nourished children for Burao and Berbera (Jamalaye) UNHCR is planning to provide emergency shelter to IDPs by WFP and UNICEF is ongoing. Specifically most vulnerable households among the IDP for IDP settlements, UNICEF and WHO support settlements including the newly displaced from MCHs in provision of medical supplies and training South and Central Somalia. However, since it is the medical staff for displaced communities. rainy season, the committees of the settlements

Somaliland Assistance Bulletin January—March 2007

expressed that there is a need to accelerate such assistance. UNTP Workshop Held in Hargeisa in March 2007. Major Gaps in the interventions for IDPs With the participation of a UNCT delegated team, a include: -Lack of IDP profiling to know the exact consultation workshop for the United Nations th number and the priority needs of the displaced Transitional Plan was held on 24 March 2007 at communities are considered major gaps. Other gaps Maansoor Hotel. Chaired by the Minister of National include lack of livelihood support interventions like Planning and Coordination, the issues discussed micro-credit, vocational/skills training, lack of included:- collective garbage collection systems, and less • Presentation on the UN Transitional Plan hygiene and sanitation awareness activities. Good purpose, scope and process interventions, which need to be extended to more • Presentation of key strategic priorities within settlements, include school feeding programme and each outcome and Alternative Basic Education Programme that are • Thematic issues such as implemented by WFP and NRC respectively. a) Institutional capacity-building b) Rule of law and security Economic Recovery & Livelihoods. c) Education Economic recovery activities range from support to d) Local governance for service delivery agricultural sector (e.g. rehabilitation of irrigation e) Health canals, provision of farm inputs, capacity building to f) Livelihoods and food security relevant line ministries such Ministry of Agriculture etc.), restocking drought-weakened pastoral This plan covers 2008-2009 in order to start a new households, environmental mitigation activities (e.g. phase of UN developmental engagement as per soil and water conservation), rehabilitation of water the recommendations of RDF. sources and income generation activities (e.g. beekeeping, revolving fund to IDPs and returnee Surveys and Assessments. concentrated areas) to livestock health and A number of survey (assessment) reports are vaccination activities. FAO, UNDP, UNHCR, available and/or ongoing with different agencies and PENHA, DRC, GAA, DRC, Candlelight, ADO and organizations ranging from FSAU Post Gu/Deyr others are involved in this category of activities assessments including nutrition updates, UNICEF 3 (refer for WWW matrix for further details) MICS (Multiple Indicator Survey), ongoing HIV/AIDs Surveillance methodologies and UN-EU-Government Coordination partners(UNAIDS), feasibility study on child sponsorship, population tracking reports (UNHCR), JNA-Somaliland Partnership workshop in Burao IDP profiling (ongoing by UNHCR), (refer Hargeisa in January 2007. WWW matrix for more information) and Nutrition JNA-Somaliland Partnership workshop started in Assessment of IDP settlements (FSAU) Hargeisa on 19th of Jan 07 leading to 3 days discussions between donors, UN, EU and OCHA WEBSITE for Somalia. government. The issue of discussion was on the In late 2006, OCHA Somalia launched a website Country Strategy Paper. Local papers called it JNA- (http://ochaonline2.un.org/somalia) for the sake of Somaliland Partnership and it has led to agreement information sharing and networking for the different on the Somali Reconstruction and Development humanitarian actors. This websites provides a Framework (RDF) in which the international medium in which different humanitarian actors can community will support Somaliland administration post and reflect their activities (situational reports, in peace building and good governance, 3Ws, cluster updates, plans, etc). improvement of social services, and creation of poverty reduction environment with the support of III. HUMANITARIAN ACCESS UN, EU member states and Norway according (POLITICAL/SECURITY) agreed RDF. Somaliland has been peaceful & stable despite dynamic political situations in the south and central Somalia during the reporting period. However,

3 WWW stands “Who What Where”.

Somaliland Assistance Bulletin January—March 2007

Humanitarian Access to contested areas in Sool and Sanaag is yet limited.

Intra clan fighting in the Ethio-Somaliland border involving high casualties was a concern for the government and general public as the same sub-clans that were fighting out there are living together in Somaliland. Public protests were held in Hargeisa against this sub-clan fighting on 20th February 2007 as the wounded were received in Buroa and Hargeisa hospitals for treatment. Government delegations, MPs, member of opposition parties and traditional elders went to the area of conflict to facilitate reconciliation. Now peace is expected to replace hostilities after a delegation of about 52 members from the two sub-clans signed a peace deal in Jijiga, the capital of Somali Region in Ethiopia, in late March 2007 with the mediation of Ethiopian government (Source: Local media and BBC). Mainly conflicts among pastoral and other rural communities groups are natural resource-based like competition for water, pasture and/or farmlands and are solved by agreements by traditional leaders. Car Accidents. 2 car accidents in 3 days (one on 11th February and the other on 13th February 2007) were involved in the injury of 3 UN staff, (one national and two international) during a polio eradication campaign. 3 of them were medically evacuated, through airlifting, to Djibouti (one of them was taken to Paris later on for surgery). The two accidents were of similar nature whereby the tires of the vehicles went off, mainly due to lack of car maintenance. Safety procedures regarding using rented cars needs to be improved. UN department for Safety and Security recommended adopting better safety standards for renting private cars to ensure the condition of rented cars is fit and road worthy before traveling.